Are irrigated farming ecosystems more productive than rainfed farming systems in rice production in the Philippines?

Title
Are irrigated farming ecosystems more productive than rainfed farming systems in rice production in the Philippines?
Publication Date
2010
Author(s)
Mariano, Marc Jim
Villano, Renato
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2581-6623
Email: rvillan2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:rvillan2
Fleming, Euan
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Place of publication
Netherlands
DOI
10.1016/j.agee.2010.10.004
UNE publication id
une:7502
Abstract
The variations in rice productivity in the irrigated and rainfed farming ecosystems in the Philippines from 1996/1997 to 2006/2007 are estimated using a stochastic metafrontier, which is a production function that envelops the production frontiers of the two farming ecosystems. The productivity levels are also compared across the two ecosystems through time. Results indicate that farms in the rainfed farming ecosystem achieve productivity levels only slightly different from those of farms in the irrigated farming ecosystem. Some farms in both ecosystems were able to achieve the highest possible output with respect to the metafrontier in all the seasons studied. The adoption and diffusion of appropriate technologies to the other farmers can narrow the technology gap that exists within and between the two farming ecosystems. As technical inefficiency is found on many farms within ecosystems, there is potential for most producers in both farming ecosystems to improve productivity with more efficient use of resources at the farm level. We find that technological progress is absent, confirming previous evidence of a lack of substantial productivity growth in the past decade. Research and development of improved rice technologies is needed to shift the metafrontier outwards.
Link
Citation
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 139(4), p. 603-610
ISSN
1873-2305
0167-8809
Start page
603
End page
610

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